MacGameFPS

How many FPS does Total War: PHARAOH get on the iMac M1? 1080p, 1440p and 4K performance

14FPS

1080p High

Estimate

9

1440p

5

4K

Too slow

About 14 FPS at 1080p on High: Total War: PHARAOH runs natively on the iMac M1 (Apple M1, 7-core GPU, 8 GB), but it does not reach 30 FPS even on Low with MetalFX. You need a more powerful Mac to play it smoothly.

Data reviewed October 1, 2026 · how we calculate it

Total War: PHARAOH
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Total War: PHARAOH FPS on iMac M1 by resolution and quality

Estimate
ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p20FPS17FPS14FPS12FPS
1440p12FPS11FPS9FPS7FPS
4K6FPS6FPS5FPS4FPS

Estimated average in normal gameplay with the game and macOS up to date. Green: 60+ · lime: 45+ · amber: 30+ · orange: 20+ · red: under 20.

Recommended settings

For 60 FPS

Not reached even on Low at 1080p, nor with MetalFX.

For 30 FPS

Not reached even on Low at 1080p, nor with MetalFX.

Moving to 1440p High puts the iMac M1 at about 9 FPS. This game has no MetalFX, so resolution is the setting that matters most.

The MacGameFPS verdict

Calibrated on real Mac benchmarks, not spec sheets

Is the iMac M1 enough for Total War: PHARAOH?

No: at 14 FPS on 1080p High it is not playable. You need a more powerful Mac.

Too slow · 1440p 9 FPS · 4K 5 FPS

iMac M1 or MacBook Neo for Total War: PHARAOH?

In Total War: PHARAOH at 1080p High, the iMac M1 gets 14 FPS and the MacBook Neo 13 FPS: -7% more.

Total War: PHARAOH on MacBook Neo →

iMac M1 specs

iMac M1
Chip
Apple M1
GPU cores
7 / 8
Unified memory
8 / 16 GB
Cooling
Fan
Geekbench Metal
29,497
Tier
Entry level · 8/100

See the iMac M1’s FPS in every game →

Other Macs with the M1 chip

The Apple M1 also powers the MacBook Air M1, the MacBook Pro M1, and the Mac mini M1. In Total War: PHARAOH, the MacBook Pro M1 gets 16 FPS at 1080p High, 14% more than the iMac M1.

MacBook Air M1MacBook Pro M1Mac mini M1

How much memory do you need?

On Apple Silicon the GPU shares memory with the system, so the RAM you picked when buying the Mac is also your video memory. Total War: PHARAOH asks for 8 GB minimum.

Memory1080p High1440p High
8 GB14FPS9FPS
16 GB15FPS9FPS

Other Macs for Total War: PHARAOH

1080p · High

Total War: PHARAOH on every Mac →

Shopping for an all-round gaming Mac? Mac ranking by real FPS →

Other games on the iMac M1

Every game on the iMac M1 →

Official Mac requirements

Minimum
macOS 13.4 · Apple M1 (8-core CPU, 7-core GPU) or better · 8 GB memory · 50 GB storage

Source: store.steampowered.com

FAQ

Can the 8 GB iMac M1 run Total War: PHARAOH?

Yes. With 8 GB we estimate 14 FPS at 1080p High.

Can Total War: PHARAOH hit 60 FPS on the iMac M1?

Not consistently. It does not even reach 30 FPS on Low.

What about 1440p and 4K?

On High, the iMac M1 gets about 9 FPS at 1440p and about 5 FPS at 4K in Total War: PHARAOH. These are native figures.

Do these figures include MetalFX or ray tracing?

No. The headline figure is native resolution, no MetalFX and no ray tracing. Total War: PHARAOH has no MetalFX on Mac. Ray tracing, where a game offers it, costs a lot of FPS on any Mac.

Is Total War: PHARAOH native on Apple Silicon?

Yes, it has a native Apple Silicon version ported by Feral Interactive, available on Steam. No CrossOver, Parallels or Game Porting Toolkit needed.